2014 Interior Design Winner: Rustic Modern Seacoast Home

Designer: Patty Kennedy of Patty Kennedy Interiors, LLC in Portsmouth  
(646) 258-8441
www.pattykennedyinteriors.com

To renovate this 1890s New Englander in Portsmouth’s historic district, Patty Kennedy took a modern approach to
depicting coastal charm. The kitchen’s slatted wood cabinet facade evokes the look of silvery gray, antique lobster traps. Original rough-hewn ceiling beams and hardwood floors were painted white for an airy, clean, albeit rustic feeling. Antique Heywood-Wakefield wicker furniture is painted battleship gray with cushions upholstered in ocean-blue outdoor fabric. The minimalist bathroom is tiled in driftwood-colored porcelain tiles. In the dining room, nautical maps and oil paintings are paired with vintage photographs and contemporary art prints.

Judges said: “This project had a clean, simple and modern look. The allegiance to a controlled color scheme of black and white was very successful—and clearly maximized the feeling of flow and openness in a seemingly small space. The effective use of gray elements—stone fireplace wall, chalkboard, kitchen island—further enlivened the rooms. This project appeared to walk that very thin line of expressing a real sense of the people who are living there, while still maintaining a mass appeal—not an easy task.”